Seminar on Cognitive Warfare in NATO
It is time for the last seminar of the year on the specially tailored course Warfighting in the Information Environment for the Swedish Armed Forces HQ. In the seminar we will focus on the evolution and development of Cognitive Warfare in NATO as #WeAreNATO.
An administrative challenge is that the new NATO Cognitive Warfare Concept (18 JUNE 2025) is, at this stage, not formally approved by the Military Committee and NAC, so the Concept is still UNCLASSIFIED. The ambition in NATO is to have the Concept approved by NAC and presented at NATO Deterrence & Defence Meeting in February 2026.
Please note that this seminar is intended for invited participants only!
Agenda
09:30-10:00 Welcome speech, by Rear Admiral Fredrik Peedu, Communication Director of the Swedish Armed Forces.
Followed by an introduction to the course and the seminar, by Pontus Weström, SEDU.
10:00-10:45 Background and the path to the final concept, by Captain (N) Paul Grøstad, Section Head Security and Countering Hybrid Threats, Norwegian MoD and former Deputy Branch Head and head of the Cognitive Warfare Team at NATO ACT.
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-11:30 A walk through the Concept – with highlights and what needs special attention, by the Research Team at Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), Department of Defence Analysis & Information Environment and Influence.
11:30-12:00 Brown bag lunch and discussions in smaller groups.
Second part
Attend the second part of the seminar via ZOOM https://fhs-se.zoom.us/j/67166878038
12:00-12:45 NATO StratCom and Cognitive Warfare concept. What are the implications? (Via ZOOM), by Lt. Col. Lars Flink, NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence (COE), Doctrine, Concepts and Experimentation Branch. Lt. Col. Flink is also custodian for NATO AJP-10 StratCom.
12:45-13:30 What’s, next – what is required and/or recommended for members of NATO? Discussions with speakers and audience, led by Pontus Weström, SDU together with FOI research team.
Background: This seminar is a part the Information Environment Course at the SDU, specifically tailored for staff officers and other employees in the Swedish Armed Forces working with StratCom, Info Ops, Psyops, INTEL, Cyber or other fields of expertise within the framework of warfighting in the information environment. The seminar and its content are development in cooperation with the Swedish Armed Forces HQ.
Receive the Concept before the seminar
When you register, and if you have a Swedish Armed Forces (mil.se) email address, you will receive the Concept before the seminar (as SK), but unfortunately it cannot be sent out outside SWE AF mailing system. So please print it out and bring it to the seminar.
During the seminar, we will be able to “walk through the concept” verbally but not display texts or direct quotes from the Concept on screens. These precaution measures also limit the use of ZOOM to the second part of the seminar (from 1200 to 1330).
Register to attend the seminar on site
If you will be attending in person, please arrive in good time to pass through the main entrance at Drottning Kristinas väg 37 and register with the security guard at the reception. Please bring your ID for identification when attending the seminar.
Please note that this seminar is intended for invited participants only.